The present disclosure relates generally to information handling systems, and more particularly to a reversible contra-rotating fan system for cooling an information handling system.
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option is an information handling system (IHS). An IHS generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements may vary between different applications, IHSs may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in IHSs allow for IHSs to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, IHSs may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
IHSs such as, for example, switch IHSs, are commonly mounted, along with server IHSs, storage IHSs, and/or a variety of other IHSs known in the art, in racks in a data center. Some data center rack configurations require that the switch IHSs be mounted such that the ports on the switch IHS face outward from a first side of the rack (e.g., a “front” side of the rack), while other data center rack configurations require that the switch IHSs be mounted such that the ports on the switch IHS face outward from a second side of the rack that is opposite the first side (e.g., a “rear” side of the rack). The possibility of mounting the switch IHSs in the rack in multiple different orientations can create cooling problems for the switch IHSs, which typically include a cooling system that is configured to move air through the switch IHS in one direction.
Generally, the front side of the rack is considered the “cool” side of the rack, while the rear side of the rack is considered the “hot” side of the rack. This is because most IHSs and other rack devices are configured to be mounted in the rack such that their cooling systems pull relatively cooler air from the front side of the rack and expel that air, now heated air, out of the rear side of the rack. Thus, if a switch IHS is mounted in the rack such that the ports on the switch IHS face outward from the rear side of the rack, the cooling system in the switch IHS may be configured to move air through the switch IHS in a direction that causes air to be drawn from the rear/hot side of the rack and expelled out to the front/cool side of the rack. The drawing of air from the rear/hot side of the rack prevents the optimal cooling of the switch IHS, and the expelling of that air out to the front/cool side of the rack may result in that heated air being drawn into the IHSs and other devices mounted to the rack, thus reducing the cooling capabilities of any IHSs or other devices mounted adjacent the switch IHS in the rack.
Conventional solutions to this problem include providing the cooling system of the switch IHS with removable fans that may be removed from the switch IHS and then reoriented and reinserted into the switch IHS based on how the switch IHS is mounted in the rack such that the direction of airflow provided by the cooling system does not result in the deficiencies discussed above. However, such solutions require that the user remove those fans from the switch IHS and reorient those fans to provide the appropriate direction of airflow, and it has been found that a very large number of switch IHSs in data centers are mounted in racks with their cooling system fans orientated to provide an incorrect airflow direction that results in the deficiencies discussed above. Other solutions include switch IHS manufacturers providing two types of each switch IHSs: a first type of switch IHS with a cooling system that provides airflow through the switch IHS in a first direction, and a second type of switch IHS with a cooling system that provides airflow through the switch IHS in a second direction that is opposite the first direction. The user must then purchase the type of switch IHS having the cooling system that provides airflow in a direction that will not cause the issues discussed above. However, while such solutions may provide for the proper airflow upon an initial deployment of the switch IHS, they limit redeployment of the switch IHS in reverse orientations, and add inventory and parts costs for the switch IHS manufacturer.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an improved cooling system for an IHS.